I have had suggestions and encouragement with regard to joining a League recently. I don’t think it has anything to do with my scores frankly, because I’m obviously a low pin count hack. But it raises a few questions that I haven’t had answers to.......

*Are “Leagues” typically categorical according to age or average score?*Are there minimum score averages required?*How many people are on a typical “team?”*Do you get a reasonable amount of personal bowling on a team?*How often do MOST Leagues meet?*Is there a real convenience or cost savings to being in a League?*Any equipment restrictions?*Are Leagues the only “gateway” for more “Professional” competitions?*What should I expect to pay for League Membership?*What is the typical season length, for League play?*Any benefits for League Membership at my local Bowling Alley?

_________________“Perfection is only a delusion; a lack of personality!” - sdc

I have had suggestions and encouragement with regard to joining a League recently. I don’t think it has anything to do with my scores frankly, because I’m obviously a low pin count hack. But it raises a few questions that I haven’t had answers to.......

*Are “Leagues” typically categorical according to age or average score?There are Handicap and scratch leagues. Scratch leagues are typically the better bowlers. Handicap leagues will have a mix of the better bowlers and "Hacks" as you have called yourself.*Are there minimum score averages required? No*How many people are on a typical “team?” Typically 5 person teams but there are 4, 3 and even 2 person doubles leagues out there*Do you get a reasonable amount of personal bowling on a team? Not quite sure what you mean but you bowl 3 games*How often do MOST Leagues meet? Once a week*Is there a real convenience or cost savings to being in a League? Leagues are a social event and about competition reserving you a pair of lanes and competition to bowl against every week. It is more costly than just open bowling but it is much more fun in my opinion. *Any equipment restrictions? USBC equipment specs and rules found here...http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net ... lebook.pdf*Are Leagues the only “gateway” for more “Professional” competitions? More professional competitions are scratch events/tournaments and league participation is not required to enter these types of competitions.*What should I expect to pay for League Membership? USBC sanction fee is close to $20, that is once a season. Typically weekly league fees $12-$15 half of which is the linage that goes to the alley and the rest is the prize money fund given out at the end of the season. *What is the typical season length, for League play? Approximately 30 weeks can be more or less with some short leagues being a short as 12 weeks in the spring time*Any benefits for League Membership at my local Bowling Alley? the lanes I bowl at give a break to league bowlers for open bowling rates calling them practice rates.

I have bowled in one league that had a maximum handicap, which is basically the same thing in a handicap league. Not a rule I liked seeing as it really turned away new bowlers with a 100 average.

Well let me express it this way.............

Many years ago when I first took up the game of golf, I spent the entire first season that I owned clubs, at the driving range. Nobody told me that I had to do it, but I decided that I’d get really familiar with my equipment before I ever went out on the course, because I figured I wouldn’t be able to keep pace with the people who play pretty regularly, and I didn’t want them to regret having me along.

It wasn’t until the following season, that I actually went out and played a round of golf at a public course with a friend, who was willing to have me along.

When I started bowling regularly, back in the 80s, (And by “regularly,” I mean I was going a couple of times a week in the mornings by myself, when the lanes were relatively clear, and just bowling three or four games for the exercise.

During one of those visits at that time, at that bowling alley, the house pro came over and offered to give me a couple of tips, which was really nice of her. Then when she was all done showing me a couple pointers, she asked me if I would consider joining a league. I thought that that was a rather strange request, because I figured that I wasn’t good enough, and that secondly, those who WERE “good,” would not want me to be on their team until I was better than I was.

So now I’m back in the bowling in the wife and I are going with some regularity, and other opportunities to join Leagues have been offered. I’ve seen the list of all different kinds of leagues, and I just wonder where I fit, in terms of handicap and score Avg.. I don’t know my handicap, but compared to some of the people I’ve seen come in and practice, I’m a pretty low average, variable-scoring bowler.In golfing terms, I’m a “hack.”

I think I think I’m concerned about is, after joining a league, I couldn’t “cut the mustard” compared to the rest of the folks, and they said, “you know what Steve, you can’t keep up well enough!”

This isn’t a case of the classic “inferiority complex” or “ fear of failure“ or anything like that. I’m not afraid to go out there and make a fool of myself. I can laugh at myself, just as well as anybody else can (lol). I just want to be a help, and not a hindrance.

So, like I did with the game of golf, I suppose I have resolved that I’m going to spend the next couple of years at the Lanes, doing lots of “practice, practice, practice,” and THEN considering joining a league. Make sense?

That is of course, unless there’s a League out there that is typically found in most bowling alleys, for the “beginning bowler,” or the “knows just enough to be dangerous” bowler (lol)

_________________“Perfection is only a delusion; a lack of personality!” - sdc

There is no reason to take ".....a couple of years until you are 'good enough...."Go join a mixed league w/ the wife. They're usually not highly competitive & mostly just for couples to get away enjoying bowling & socializing w/ other couples etc. That's what we did. The wife hadn't bowled since the early 90's and wasn't a serious bowler back then by no means. She started w/ a 128 after the 1st 1/2 of last year. Got her a new ball, some instruction & practice time. Ended last season @ 137 so +9pins, not too shabby. This year she ended w/ a 162 so she's up +25 this year and has fun w/ it. Go out & enjoy, don't wait until your feel you're 'ready' to compete w/ serious players.

BTW what is your avg. when you keep score?? and the wife's avg. as well?

What imagonman said. The handicap system will narrow the gap between the high and low average bowlers. For a typical handicap system based on 90% of the difference between the bowler's average and 220 a 130 average bowler would get 81 pins handicap per game while a 180 bowler would get 36 pins handicap per game, a difference of 45 pins each game. -- JohnP

Over the pond (Norway), we got rules like 50% or 60% of 200 or 210 max in sanctioned play. But here people who got an avg of 100 understand that they can't and shouldn't be able to beat the 200 avg players, because the ones who average 200 has put a lot of time into their play.

We don't have the entry level leagues here. In a way sad, as it is a great way to get into the sport without getting too serious, but at the same time, no pillows are sewn under the players arms either.

........BTW what is your avg. when you keep score?? and the wife's avg. as well?

It’s in my signature, but anyway..........I’m averaging 175 after about two games to get warmed up and read the lane I’m on. My wife is really “new” to bowling.....she’s only about a month into it, with a ball that was drilled for her. She’s struggling to break 100 at this point.

_________________“Perfection is only a delusion; a lack of personality!” - sdc

That’s a very interesting colloquialism! Can you tell me the origins of that quote and what it really means???????

Is that a reference to Ezekiel chapter 13 verse 18, and are you saying that the game is not meant to be easy, like pillows used to ease the comfort of those sitting around? Is that the correlation?

I mean that if you enter a league, where a player has played for 15 years, and has actual practice behind it, a player averaging 130 with 2 weeks of practice should NEVER EVER be able to beat the 200 avg player over multiple games.

Even if the player who has 130 avg has played for 5 years, he shouldn't be able to beat the 200 avg player. Why? because the 130 avg player hasn't put in enough time to be able to beat him, I firmly believe you are rewarded for your time spent.

That is also why I said that US leagues are a good way to get into the game, because the threshold is lower compared to a full-on tournament with rules like we got in Norway. But if you can't raise your average above what you are at, you don't deserve to beat someone who has put his "life" into getting as good as he is.

EDIT: Of course, if you play for 2 years, and actually average 200 (meaning you got loads of spare time to practice, or have a fair bit of talent), that is another matter entirely. But forcing players that average 200 to average 240 to beat a 130 avg player who doesn't give a rats ass about getting better, nope, that is not a way of going I agree with.

EDIT2: And if you are new, you can't just expect to walk in and win. Its the same for everything. I just started playing the piano, and I don't expect to be Bach tomorrow. It takes practice, a lot of it. It takes time, it takes money, it takes dedication.

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